


Julie and the Phantoms Go Shopping!

by bigred_ashlyn



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Multi, background juke - Freeform, independent! alex, retail shopping, soft! juke, stressed julie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:49:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28887120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigred_ashlyn/pseuds/bigred_ashlyn
Summary: the title kinda explains it all folks!
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina & Ray Molina, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Ray Molina & Reggie Peters
Kudos: 74





	Julie and the Phantoms Go Shopping!

“You’re taking it better than I expected,” Julie said, leaning over the kitchen counter at her father currently flipping an egg over the stovetop. A rag was draped over his shoulder and his concentration was on the simmering pan. Thankfully, he had ‘uh-huh’ and ‘oh’ enough to signify that he was listening.   
“Taking what?” he asked a moment later.   
Carlos strode in the kitchen, chuckling. “The fact that we have three ghosts living with us.” He sat down at the table and looked over his shoulder at the reaction from his dad.   
“Oh, well. I mean we were barely using the space anyway. And Julie does like having them around. And they don’t really require more food.”   
“True. True. That is all true. But you don’t mind?”   
“Not at all, Julie. So is the 90s look of theirs intentional then? Or was that just what they died in?”   
“What they died in, I think.”  
“I could-we could since you’re the only one who can see them-take them shopping. For new clothes. For a modern look,”   
Julie’s face lit up and she smiled brightly. She leaned even further forward, not bothering to check her posture or later her volume. “Yes! They would love that! I’m going to tell them. We could make a whole day of it.” 

“Yo! Phantoms! We are going shopping today,” Julie shouted into the studio.   
Luke turned over on the couch. Alex was hunched over the drums and Reggie was in the middle of the room futzing with the fabric of his flannel between his fingers. Reggie turned to attention and Alex looked up.   
“Shopping for what exactly?” Reggie asked.   
“New clothes,” Julie laughed. “My dad figured that the Phantoms could use a 2020 fashion update. Maybe get Luke into some sleeves. Reggie into a different,” Julie paused, unsure of what she was saying but deciding to say it anyway, “flannel. And Alex, I’m sure you could find something new too. I’m not quite what your style is but I’m sure you can find something.”   
“I’m kinda insulted that you think I don’t have style honestly,” Alex chimes in.   
Julie tries to think of a rebuttal but Reggie jumps in.   
“I know we three can teleport but how are you getting there?” Reggie asks, glancing at the other two boys.   
“My dad is driving me. You guys could probably inhabit the car if you want.”   
“Your dad is taking us?” Reggie asked, smiling wide. He rocked back and forth on his toes a little as Luke rolled his eyes.   
“I thought you were going to get over that,” he remarked.   
“Oh c’mon Luke. Ray’s a positive father figure. We can all use that in our lives.”   
Julie furrowed her eyebrows but the subject was dropped pretty quickly and she shrugged it off. “I’m going to have breakfast, and then I’ll come and get you guys when we’re ready to go.”   
“Sounds great, Julie,” Luke chimes in first. Reggie and Alex follow suit.   
Julie smiles once more before turning on her heels and walking out the doors of the studio.

The car ride isn’t too long. Julie takes shotgun so that she is still able to talk to her dad and so that her dad at least knows who’s sitting next to him. If she had taken a spot in the back (most likely next to Luke so that they could hold hands), Reggie probably would’ve taken shotgun seat and Ray would’ve looked right through him literally. Alex never takes shotgun. They sing their songs and they’re in the middle of Finally Free as Ray pulls into a spot in the parking lot. He parks the car and accentuates it with the unbuckling of his seatbelt.   
“Okay, c’mon Julie. Luke. Reggie. Alex? Alex, yep. I definitely can name all three of you with confidence.”   
“Overselling it, Dad.”   
“Don’t be mean to him, Julie-” Reggie chimes in and Luke nudges him in the arm. “It’s not like he can hear you defend him,” Luke mutters.   
“Luke,” Alex warned.   
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. Sleeves off. Judgment off.”   
“Okay. This is going to be fun. I like shopping,” Alex said, trying to hype himself up for an activity he can’t remember the last time he did.   
“So, uh, Julie, how is this going to work?”   
“Okay so first we’re-” Julie started as her dad shot her a look. They continued walking towards the store as Julie turned to her dad.   
“Okay, so the boys are wondering how this is going to work. Luke specifically. So Dad is going to help you pick out clothes physically, you’re going to communicate through me, and by the end of today, you’ll have two or three new outfits. That make sense?” Julie explained.   
The boys nodded. Alex chuckled. “I can pick stuff up you know.”   
“Yeah, we know. Willie showed you how to do it and now even though both me and Luke have been trying, neither of us are as adept at it yet,” Reggie said.   
“I manage to forget that my bad,” Alex shrugged his right shoulder, smug with being better at something than both Luke and Reggie.   
“No, you’re just trying to rub it in. It’s been rubbed. You are a thorough rubber.”   
Ray held the door open for Julie as they approached the store entrance. “After you. The boys can phase through stuff like this right?”   
“You should probably hold it open just in case. I’ll nod when you can close it.”   
Julie watched Luke, Reggie, and Alex enter the store and then nodded at her dad. The door closed behind them and all three of the boys let their mouths drop and hang open. People continued to file into the store as the three boys awkwardly shuffled out of the way to avoid accidentally possessing each person that walked in a straight line.   
“Okay are you ready to do this?” Julie asked.   
The boys all nodded, their mouths still open. Julie shot them a look and gestured towards their open mouths. Their eyes widened and they closed their mouths while the look of amazement lingered in their eyes.   
They had been to an outlet store before, right? 

Reggie was the first to come to Julie with a clothing item, requesting assistance. Ray stood meters away rummaging through distressed jeans and orange and green pants with large pockets and oddly placed zippers. For some reason, zippers were in. Alex spotted these zipper covered pants and shook his head. His eyes went straight to the dip dyed denim and he dashed to where they sat in the shelving unit.  
Reggie was pointing out a flannel shirt-green instead of his typical red-as Julie noticed Alex grabbing a piece of clothing from the rack. She scanned the surroundings, relieved that no one was looking in his direction.   
“Hey, can you excuse me for a second? I think Alex misunderstood the directions.”   
“Oh, well who’s going to help me then?”   
“Find Ray.”   
“Will do.” 

Julie walked up to Alex letting annoyance seep into her gaze as her hands raised in front of her. “Hey buddy. Whatcha doing?”   
“Oh hey Julie. I just found these pants and I think they’re so cool. Also ripped jeans are still a thing. Yes.”   
“Yeah but I thought I was clear that either or my dad needed to help pick things up. So it looks normal.”   
“Okay, but I can pick things up myself. I don’t really need your help. Who cares about it looking normal? What are they going to do? Kick out a ghost?”   
“Okay no-gosh this conversation probably just looks like I’m talking to myself. Ugh. Ask for help, okay? It’s not that hard.”   
“Fine, can you pick up a pair of black holey jeans for me? Medium.”   
Julie walked over to the rack and grabbed a pair of black jeans, double checking the label to confirm they were medium sized. She added it to the pile of clothes she held.   
“That wasn’t so hard was it?”   
“You’re not going to hand them to me?”   
“No, that would look weird.” 

It’s after twenty minutes of shopping with Alex that she walks over to Luke. Reggie has stayed with Ray since she ditched him the first time and Ray’s arm seems to be covered in flannels and dark jeans. So much for branching out, she sighed. Though flannels were still very much in fashion these days so it probably wasn’t Reggie who needed an update. Luke probably needed one the most.   
“Hey, Luke,” Julie said, trying not to sneak up on him. His eyes widened nevertheless and he stumbled backwards. Julie reflexively pushed him back forwards. “So do you know what you’re looking for?”   
“I don’t really know what I’m supposed to get? Like I don’t see a problem with how I dress now. Reggie is staying with his flannels, and Alex seems to love everything. But the sleeveless shirts are what make me comfy, Julie.”   
“You don’t have to be uncomfortable. I just thought you might want something new.”   
“New things have a habit of sucking-with the exception of you of course. And our new music is good I guess. Okay, okay. Um, that collared shirt. The dark blue with the light dots. I can try that.”   
“See that wasn’t too hard.”   
“Yeah. I’m still going to want to try sleeveless shirts though.”   
“You really have to show your arms off, don’t you?”   
“Of course I do, Julie. It’s my brand. Brands don’t change. They may repackage but they’re still the same underneath.”   
“Huh. Didn’t think of that.”   
Luke ends up with a few dip dyed sleeveless shirts-orange and blue- to stay with his brand. Two pairs of dark jeans similar to what he has now. And of course, they end up finding a blue beanie with a small white outline of a ghost that Luke has to have. Julie ends up laughing before she’s called back to Alex who has yet another item that she needs to pick up. He is still wary of the “looking weird” but at least he goes along with it now. 

It’s after a whole hour of shopping that Julie feels her shoulders aching and her balance swaying. Luke catches a glimpse of her and runs up to her immediately.   
“You need to take a break.”   
“A break? No, I’m good. And you guys aren’t exactly the neatest. And this place can’t look like a-”   
“I got this. Take a break. It only needs to be like fifteen minutes.”   
“But-Bu-”   
“Take a break.”   
Julie scanned the room and limped over to a black cushion, meant for trying on shoes but also for partners who had to sit through their significant others shopping when they themselves weren’t shopping people. She let her eyes close and her body slumped inwards. Her head fell in her hands and before she knew it, she felt a tug on her arm.   
“Oh my. Did something happen? Did the store get destroyed? Are-are we kicked out?”  
“You should probably open your eyes first before jumping to conclusions,” her father’s voice assured.   
Julie opened her eyes and lifted her head up. The store looked normal. She let out a breath of relief and slowly came to her feet.   
“Okay, so nothing is wrong?”   
“Reggie finished an hour ago. Decided to stay with the flannels. I then helped Luke pick out some stuff which he wanted to try on which he did. That was a complicated process reserving a fitting room for a ghost but I did it. And Alex just picked out the last item and is trying on stuff now.”   
“Oh, okay. Cool,” she smiled, rubbing her eyes.   
When she opens them, Luke is standing next to her, reaching out his hand. Julie takes it, smiling before looking down. This probably looks really weird. People didn’t usually hold hands with air.   
“Don’t worry about it, okay?”  
“Okay.”   
Alex came out of the fitting room, back in his regular clothes and his picks for outfits to get slung over his arm. “That was fun. How often do-can we do this?”   
“Every once in a while. You guys are ghosts and it’s not like you can grow still. Right Julie? Right?”   
“I’m pretty sure that’s correct. Thankfully.”   
Luke chuckled.   
Ray gestured for them to follow him in his walk towards the clothing line. Turning towards them quickly, he asked for them to hand over the clothes they want. Band member by band member, the pile in Ray’s hands grew. Eventually, he handed off some of the clothes to Julie in order to make it manageable.   
“You know what?” Ray proposed as they got closer to the front of the line, “how about you guys head out to the car. You don’t need to know how high this bill is,” he joked.   
Julie laughed. “Okay. C’mon guys,” she tugged Luke along as Reggie and Alex followed in tow.   
“I can’t wait to wear my new flannels!” Reggie rushed out the door. “They’re going to be so comfy.”   
“Aren’t they just like the flannel you’re wearing now?” Alex asked.   
“Yes, but they’re going to be new,” Reggie nodded.  
“You guys are kinda weird,” Julie remarked.   
“Yeah, but you love us,” Luke smiled, squeezing Julie’s hand tighter.   
“Yeah, I do,” she said as they reached the car.


End file.
